THE

CHRISTIAN LADY'S MAGAZINE.

JANUARY, 1839.

BY-GONE DAYS.

LITTLE did I think, when commencing these papers, what would be the result. The days have indeed long passed by, and the scenes are changed, and many who bloomed there, at the period I am recording, are 'faded and gone;' but some remain to recognize the hand thus faintly sketching events well remembered by them; and precious indeed are the breathings of love wafted across the wide Atlantic, from those warm hearts, homeward. It is a singular circumstance that the natives of Nova Scotia, though for generations past not one of their line, any more than themselves, may have beheld the shores of Europe, invariably speak of England as their home. Crossing for the first time the mighty ocean to visit our island, they call 'going home:' returning to their native land after such a trip is 'leaving home.' I knew it long ago; yet I was much struck, very lately,

by an instance of it. A young Nova Scotian friend using the expression since I came home,' in reference to the period of his sojourn here, I smiled at as a blunder, observing left home, you mean:' with a look of downright indignant warmth he repelled my correction, saying, almost sternly, 'No: is not England our home?'

Would that this same England knew better how to appreciate the devoted attachment of such loyal, gallant hearts! Happy for her would be the day when, flinging far from her the wretched degrading expediency that fondles and crouches before traitors whom she ought to scourge out of her dominions, she should cast herself on the loving fidelity of her true children -her Protestant sons-the despised, insulted inheritors of those principles which here expelled the tyrant James, and established on the British throne a race worthy to rule the British nation; and abroad planted a noble seedling, now grown to a sheltering forest, under the shadow of which she might securely place the dearest interests of her faith and her crown. But, alas for England! a spirit of blindness has fallen upon her; and under its influence she pursues a course of inevitable self-destruction.

My business now, however, is with the past; and the scene opening to view is the snow-clad region of Annapolis Royal, in the grandeur of its mid-winter desolation roads rendered utterly impassable, until the persevering labour of the troops, aiding that of the inhabitants, had effected an opening through enormous drifts, giving entrance to the welcome supplies concerning which we began to feel somewhat apprehensive. This was a favourable season for the poor Indians; their burdens of moose-meat found a

ready market; and be the roads what they might, the Indian hunter was not to be baffled in his skilful approaches to the white man's town. From a high window in my abode I used to watch the approach of these wild foresters, emerging from some by-path, their dark costume shewn off in striking contrast by the dazzling whiteness of surrounding objects —the loose garment of coarse, deep blue woollen, fashioned much like our waggoners' frocks, but reaching no farther than the knee; leggins of the same colour, but a stronger texture, often bordered with narrow scarlet, and coarsely sewn with the rough edges outwards; buskins and mocassins of undressed hides, and snowshoes extending to a circumference of several feet, a strong net forming the basis, surrounded by a framework of cane, with a strap in the centre to admit the foot. This was an indispensable article; for in many places the snow covered pits of great depth; and it was, besides, too light to support the weight of man, unless the pressure of his feet was made to cover as great an extent of surface as these embraced.

On one occasion I saw an Indian thus accoutred in discourse with an orderly, who brought word to the commanding officer that the hunter had a living moose-deer to dispose of, at the low price of twenty dollars. This was a great wonder: slaughtering the Elk was an easy task to the Indian; but to capture him an achievement considered almost unattainable, through the extreme caution, timidity and fleetness of the gigantic game. The only method of accomplishing it was by surprising him in an open place, encircled by trees; and by cutting them down to form a fence through which he could not break. The animal too, rarely survived its capture, when ef